The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-11-03
THE MONKS OF DEATH.
Two Young Men Guillotined in France
for a Double Murder.
E.om the Londnn Tablet

From the London Tablet.
A double execution has just taken place at
AK. The two lads, Esposito, aged %, and
Tegami, aged 10, were condemned to death
in the beginning of August for burglary
and a double murder, and on Tuesday suf-
fered their sentence Both died cynically
impenitent, cursing the chaplain, who en-
deavored to move them to repentance, and
showing a spirit of hardened wiclledness
truly revolving in such young men. They
asked for rum, and drank off large glass
just as they were going out to execution,
and then lighted cigars, and smoked them
as they walked up to the guillotine. They
were attended to the last by confratermty
called the Blue Penitents, but popularity
known in Province as the MojheS de la Mort.
They are not religious confraternity,
although they were originally, having been
founded in the sixteenth century by a holy
priest, Matthew Arnaud, canon of st. Sau-
veur. He was moved with compassion for
the unfortunate conVjcts, who, when they
had suffered capital punishment, were left
unburied to be devoured by the vultures or
other birds OF prey, and entreated some
charitable persons to join in trying, first to
procure spiritual help for the poor creatures,
and then to obtain decent burial for them
The call was answered, and some good
Christian gentlemen formed an association
to visit the condemned in prison; they also
assisted them to meet death, and bought a
a grave for them, where they saw them de-
Gently inferred 1t is odd enough that SO
purely Catholic and medieval an institution
as the so-called UOines de la Mort should
have survived every revolution and be still
not only tolerated, but recognized by the
local authorities.
When the news of Tegami's and Esposito's
approaching execution was made known in
AK, the gentlemen who belonged to the
confraternity assembled in the chapel in
the Rue duBon Pasteur, and, having
been informed by their Secretary Of the
coming tragedy, offered up prayers for the
condemned; then two antique lamps were
lighted and placed before the altar, to burn
there until all was over. From the day of
the condemnation until the day of the exc
cution, prayers were offered up for the con
deinned and a mass said once week for
them. At the end of every religious exer-
else in their intention, the members go in
procession to the foot of the altar, reciting
hymn and prayer. The day and hour
OF the execution are then notified to them
officially by the Attorney General of AK.
The Attorney General wrote; Monsieur
ie President de la Confrerte des PentteRtS
bleus;--I have the honor 60 inform you
that the capital execution of Esposito and
leRafnl VIII TAKE place UO-ulolIo" az D'oV III
the morning. / know the services your
confraternity have rendered, and may still
render to Justice. In inviting you TO assist
at this execution / am therefore only con-
forming to an ancient tradition" The Blue
Penitents at once went to their chapel, and
before the crucifix, surrounded by six
lighted candles, they recited the prayers
for the agonising, stopping at the words,
ITofciscere dniDlG Chrtsti1nd. Next
morning they were at the prison, accom-
panied the condemned TO the scaffold, saw
their bodies placed in the collins, and fol-
lowed them TO their dishonored grave. A
great many Thinkers, am assured,
belonged 90 this onfretrrnity.